Drum type washing machine with improved drying efficiency

ABSTRACT

A drum type washing machine with improved drying efficiency, includes a tub, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub, a drying duct connected to at least one of the tub and the drum and configured to supply a hot air, and a condensing duct connected to the drying duct and configured to allow air with high humidity supplied from the tub or the drum to exchange heat with cooling water, dry the air with high humidity and then supply a dry air to the drying duct. The condensing duct includes a water chamber configured to accommodate the cooling water. The water chamber includes a condensing wall formed to make contact with the cooling water on one surface thereof and make contact with the air with high humidity on the other surface thereof and configured to cause heat exchange between the cooling water and the air with high humidity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2017-0092587, filed on Jul. 21, 2017, the disclosureof which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference for allpurposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a drum type washing machine withimproved drying efficiency.

BACKGROUND

In general, a washing machine is an apparatus that removes variouscontaminants adhering to laundry, e.g., clothes, beddings and the like,by utilizing the emulsifying action of a detergent, the frictionalaction of water flow generated by the rotation of a pulsator and theimpact effect applied to washing items by a pulsator.

A conventional fully automated washing machine can automatically performa series of processes including washing, rinsing and dewatering withoutrequiring user intervention once the cycles are started.

Depending on the form of the washing tub containing washing items,washing machines are classified into a top-loading type washing machinein which a washing tub is installed upright (vertical) and afront-loading type washing machine in which a washing tub is laidhorizontal. Among them, the front-loading type washing machine(hereinafter referred to as “drum type washing machine”) is smaller intotal height than the top-loading type washing machine, larger inwashing capacity than the top-loading type washing machine, and mostlyavoids problems associated with fabric twisting or the like. Thus, thedemand for the drum type washing machine has been increasing.

The drum type washing machine may include a tub configured to storewashing water, and a drum installed inside the tub and configured toaccommodate washing objects. The drum type washing machine can perform awashing process on washing items by the rotation of the drum and thefriction of washing items by the washing water.

The drum type washing machine may include a drying device that can drythe washing items by supplying hot air into the drum accommodating thewashing items. The air heated by the drying device passes through thewashing items accommodated in the drum. Thereafter, the air, having highhumidity, flows into the drying device again.

The humid air flowing into the drying device is brought into contactwith cooling water in order to reduce the humidity thereof. At thistime, the humid air is condensed by the cooling water having arelatively low temperature, whereby the moisture in the air can beremoved. As a result, the humid air is converted into relatively dryair. The dry air is heated by a heating element of the drying device andis then re-supplied into the drum.

However, in the conventional drum type washing machine, the coolingwater is scattered due to the high flow velocity when the humid aircomes into contact with the cooling water. For that reason, there is aproblem that the humidity of the humid air increases and the dryingefficiency therefore becomes poor. In addition, a problem happens inthat the scattered cooling water flowing into the drying device comesinto contact with components of the drum type washing machine and causescorrosion thereof.

Prior Art Document

Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2015-0073395 (published onJul. 1, 2015)

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a drum type washingmachine with improved drying efficiency, which is capable of preventinghumid air (with high humidity) passed through a tub or a drum frommaking direct contact with cooling water, reliably suppressing thescattering of cooling water, enhancing the drying efficiency of an air,and preventing components from being corroded by scattered coolingwater.

Furthermore, one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a drumtype washing machine with improved drying efficiency, which is capableof increasing the area of a surface contacting the humid air whileseparating cooling water from the humid air, and consequently enhancingthe condensing efficiency.

In accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure, thereis provided a drum type washing machine with improved drying efficiency,including: a tub; a drum rotatably provided inside the tub; a dryingduct connected to at least one of the tub and the drum and configured tosupply a hot air; and a condensing duct connected to the drying duct andconfigured to allow humid air (with high humidity) supplied from the tubor the drum to exchange heat with cooling water, dry the humid air andthen supply dry air to the drying duct, wherein the condensing ductcomprises a water chamber configured to accommodate the cooling water,and wherein further the water chamber comprises a condensing wallconfigured to make contact with the cooling water on one surface thereofand to make contact with the humid air on another surface thereof, theheat exchange between the cooling water and the humid air occurringthrough the condensing wall.

The condensing duct may further include a housing having an open surfaceand an air flow path formed therein, a water inlet provided to supplythe cooling water into the water chamber, and a water outlet configuredto discharge the cooling water passed through the water chamber to theoutside of the housing.

The water chamber may include flow path ribs configured to increase acontact area between the cooling water and the condensing wall and toreduce a flow velocity of the cooling water flowing in the waterchamber.

The flow path ribs may be alternately and consecutively formed on oneside and the other side of the water chamber and are disposed inside thewater chamber.

The flow path ribs may extend obliquely downward.

An introduction port for introducing the cooling water supplied via thewater inlet into the water chamber may be formed on one side of thewater chamber.

The housing may include a guide portion opened on one surface thereofand configured to guide the cooling water toward the introduction portand wherein the guide portion is formed inside the housing where thewater inlet is positioned.

An end of the water inlet leading to the guide portion may incudes ashape of a nozzle for injecting the cooling water toward the guideportion.

A discharge port for discharging the cooling water existing in the waterchamber may be formed on the other side of the water chamber.

The water chamber may be thermally fusion-bonded to one side surface ofthe housing.

The water chamber may include a metallic material.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure, thereis provided a drum type washing machine with improved drying efficiency,including: a tub; a drum disposed in the tub; a drying duct coupled toat least one of the tub and the drum and configured to supply hot air;and a condensing duct coupled to the drying duct and configured toexchange heat between cooling water and humid air, which has highhumidity and is supplied from the tub or the drum, to dry the humid airand therefrom to supply dry air to the drying duct, wherein thecondensing duct comprises: a housing having an open surface and an airflow path formed therein to accommodate humid air flowing through theair flow path; a water chamber having a condensing wall on one sidesurface thereof, coupled to the housing to cover the open surface of thehousing and also configured to accommodate the cooling water therein; awater inlet configured to supply the cooling water into the waterchamber; and a water outlet configured to discharge the cooling waterpassed through the water chamber to the outside of the housing.

The water chamber may include flow path ribs configured to increase acontact area between the cooling water and the condensing wall and toreduce a flow velocity of the cooling water flowing in the waterchamber.

The flow path ribs may be alternately and consecutively disposed on oneside and the other side of the water chamber inside the water chamber.

The flow path ribs may be formed to extend obliquely downward.

The water chamber may further include an introduction port, theintroduction port being operable for introducing the cooling watersupplied via the water inlet into the water chamber.

The condensing duct may further includes a guide portion, which isopened on one surface thereof, for guiding the cooling water toward theintroduction port and wherein the guide portion is disposed inside thehousing where the water inlet is positioned.

An end of the water inlet leading to the guide portion may be formed ina shape of a nozzle for injecting the cooling water toward the guideportion.

The water chamber may include a discharge port for discharging thecooling water existing in the water chamber.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible toprevent humid air passed through a tub or a drum from making directcontact with cooling water, reliably suppress the scattering of coolingwater, enhance the drying efficiency of an air, and prevent componentsfrom being corroded by scattered cooling water.

Furthermore, it is possible to maximize the area of a surface contactingwith the humid air while separating cooling water from the humid air,enhance the condensing efficiency, and improve the dying efficiency ofthe humid air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drum type washing machineaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a configuration view schematically showing the drum typewashing machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a condensing duct provided in thedrum type washing machine according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are exploded perspective views showing a housing and awater chamber of the condensing duct shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along a vertical planeextending along and passing through the central axis of a water inlet330 in FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a front view showing the internal structure of the waterchamber according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, configurations and operations of embodiments will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Thefollowing description is one of various patentable aspects of thedisclosure and may form a part of the detailed description of thedisclosure.

However, in describing the disclosure, detailed descriptions of knownconfigurations or functions that make the disclosure obscure may beomitted.

The disclosure may be variously modified and may include variousembodiments. Specific embodiments will be exemplarily illustrated in thedrawings and described in the detailed description of the embodiments.However, it should be understood that they are not intended to limit thedisclosure to specific embodiments but rather to cover allmodifications, similarities, and alternatives which are included in thespirit and scope of the disclosure.

The terms used herein, including ordinal numbers such as “first” and“second” may be used to describe, and not to limit, various components.The terms simply distinguish the components from one another. When it issaid that a component is “connected” “coupled” or “linked” to anothercomponent, it should be understood that the former component may bedirectly connected or linked to the latter component or a thirdcomponent may be interposed between the two components. Specific termsused in the present application are used simply to describe specificembodiments without limiting the disclosure. An expression used in thesingular encompasses the expression of the plural, unless it has aclearly different meaning in the context.

Hereinafter, a drum type washing machine with improved drying efficiencyaccording to one embodiment of the present disclosure will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the drum type washing machine 10 withimproved drying efficiency according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure may include a tub 100, a drying duct 200 and a condensingduct 300. In this regard, the drying duct 200 and the condensing duct300 may be components of a drying device provided in the drum typewashing machine 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tub 100 may store washing water therein in orderto perform washing. The tub 100 may be connected to the drying duct 200so that hot air required for drying washing items can be supplied fromthe drying duct 200 to the tub 100 when drying the washing items.

Specifically, in the drum type washing machine 10, the tub 100 may beprovided on the outer side, and a drum 110 having a plurality of flowpaths for guiding the inflow and outflow of washing water stored in thetub 100 may be disposed inside the tub 100 to accommodate washing items.

The tub 100 is spaced apart from the outer circumferential surface ofthe drum 110. The tub 100 is configured to store the washing waterdischarged during a dewatering process and to drain the washing water tothe outside. During a drying process, the tub 100 is configured to guidethe hot air supplied from the drying duct 200 into the drum 110, therebydrying the washing items accommodated inside the drum 110.

Furthermore, the drying duct 200 may supply the hot air toward one ofthe tub 100 or the drum 110. A circulation means 210 and a heating means220 may be provided in the drying duct 200.

The circulation means 210 may introduce ambient air existing outside thedrum type washing machine 10 into the drying duct 200 and may circulateair existing inside the drum type washing machine 10. As an example, thecirculation means 210 may be a blower fan.

The heating means 220 may heat the air passing through the drying duct200. The heating means 220 may control the temperature of the airexisting inside the drum type washing machine 10 in the process ofdrying the washing items. For example, the heating means 220 may be anelectric heater. The drying duct 200 may supply hot air into at leastone of the tub 100 and the drum 110.

The condensing duct 300 may receive the humid air (with high humidity)passed through the tub 100 or the drum 110 and may receive cooling waterfrom the outside. The condensing duct 300 may cool the humid air throughheat exchange between the cooling water and the humid air, therebycondensing the moisture contained in the humid air.

When the moisture contained in the humid air is condensed, the humid airis converted into dry air with relatively low humidity. The condensingduct 300 may supply the dry air to the drying duct 200. Condensed watergenerated by condensing the moisture may be discharged to the outside ofthe condensing duct 300.

When the dry air with relatively low humidity is sent from thecondensing duct 300 to the drying duct 200, the humidity of the dry airis further reduced by the drying device of the drying duct 200. As aresult, it is possible to further improve the drying efficiency of theair and to prevent components existing inside the drying duct 200 frombeing corroded.

In other words, the condensing duct 300 may cool the hot air with thehigh humidity using the cooling water so that the moisture contained inthe hot air with the high humidity passed through the tub 100 or thedrum 110 is condensed. The condensing duct 300 may drain the condensedair and may re-introduce the dry air into the drying duct 200. The airre-introduced into the drying duct 200 may be drier than the airintroduced into the condensing duct 300. The condensing duct 300 may bedisposed between the tub 100 and the drying duct 200.

Hereinafter, the condensing duct 300 will be described with reference toFIGS. 3 to 5.

The condensing duct 300 may be provided with a water chamber 320 thataccommodates the cooling water separated from the humid air so that thecooling water does not make contact with the humid air. On one sidesurface of the water chamber 320, there may be provided a condensingwall 321 that makes contact with the humid air flowing through thecondensing duct 300 and induces condensation of the humid air.

Specifically, one side surface of the condensing wall 321 makes contactwith the humid air flowing through the condensing duct 300, and theother side surface of the condensing wall 321 makes contact with thecooling water existing inside the water chamber 320. Thus, thecondensing wall 321 may serve as an interface for the cooling water andthe humid air. Accordingly, heat exchange between the cooling water andthe humid air, both of which have different temperatures, may occurthrough the condensing wall 321.

When the humid air makes contact with the condensing wall 321, the watervapor contained in the humid air is condensed into water droplets on thesurface of the condensing wall 321. The water droplets flow down alongthe condensing wall 321. Thus, the humidity of the humid air is reducedso that dry air can be generated therefrom.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the condensing duct 300 may include a housing310, a water chamber 320, a water inlet 330 and a water outlet 340.

The housing 310 is an element that forms an overall outer shell of thecondensing duct 300. As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 310 may have astructure in which one side surface of the housing 310 is opened. An airflow path 311 may be formed inside the housing 310.

The air flow path 311 may be formed only when the water chamber 320 iscombined with the housing 310. The humid air passed through the tub 100or the drum 110 may be introduced to one side (e.g., the lower side) ofthe air flow path 311. The humid air is converted into dry air (withrelatively low humidity) which may be discharged through the other side(e.g., the upper side) of the air flow path 311.

The water chamber 320 is combined with one side surface of the housing310 so that the condensing wall 321 can make contact with the air flowpath 311. The water chamber 320 may accommodate cooling water therein.The water chamber 320 may be coupled to one side surface of the housing310 by a fastening means such as screws or bolts.

In order to enhance the water tightness or the air tightness, the waterchamber 320 may be coupled to one side surface of the housing 310 by athermal fusion bonding method in which the water chamber 320 and thehousing 310 are partially melted by high temperature heat and are bondedto each other.

In this case, in order to enhance the condensing efficiency of the humidair, the entire water chamber 320 may be made of a metallic materialsuch as iron or copper which has a high heat transfer coefficient.Alternatively, only the condensing wall 321 may be made of a metallicmaterial, such as iron or copper.

The water inlet 330 is an element provided to supply cooling water intothe water chamber 320. The water outlet 340 is an element provided todischarge the cooling water passed through the water chamber 320 to theoutside of the housing 310.

The water inlet 330 may be formed at a portion of the housing 310, andthe water outlet 340 may be formed at another portion of the housing310. Since water tends to flow downward, it is preferred that the waterinlet 330 is disposed in the upper portion of the housing 310 and thewater outlet 340 is disposed in the lower portion of the housing 310.

Inasmuch as the water inlet 330 is formed in the housing 310, as shownin FIG. 5, an introduction port 322 may be formed on one side of thewater chamber 320 so that the cooling water flowing into the housing 310through the water inlet 330 can enter the inside of the water chamber320. That is to say, the introduction port 322 is an element formed at aportion of the water chamber 320 and is configured to allow the coolingwater introduced into the housing 310 via the water inlet 330 to flowinto the water chamber 320.

As shown in FIG. 5, a discharge port 323 may be formed at anotherportion of the water chamber 320 so that the cooling water flowing intothe water chamber 320 can be discharged to the outside of the waterchamber 320. Thus, the cooling water discharged to the outside of thewater chamber 320 through the discharge port 323 may enter the inside ofthe housing 310 and may be discharged to the outside of the housing 310through the water outlet 340.

Referring to FIG. 6, which is a partial sectional view taken along avertical plane extending along and passing through the central axis ofthe water inlet 330, a guide portion 312 opened on one surface thereofmay be formed inside the housing 310 where the water outlet 340 ispositioned, so that the cooling water flowing into the housing 310 canbe guided toward the introduction port 322 of the water chamber 320 (seethe portion indicated by a circle in FIG. 4).

The guide portion 312 is closed on all the surfaces except one sidesurface facing the introduction port 322.

Therefore, the cooling water flowing into the housing 310 via the waterinlet 330 may be temporarily stored in the guide portion 312 and may beguided to the introduction port 322 of the water chamber 320 through theopen one surface of the guide portion 312.

The end 331 of the water inlet 330 leading to the guide portion 312 maybe in the shape of a nozzle having a reduced diameter so that thecooling water supplied through the water inlet 330 can be injected intothe guide portion 312.

As the end 331 of the water inlet 330 is formed in the form of a nozzle,the injection velocity of the cooling water is increased to rapidly coolthe condensing wall 321 of the water chamber 320. As a result, it ispossible to enhance the condensing efficiency of the humid air and alsoto enhance the drying efficiency.

As shown in FIG. 7, flow path ribs 324 may be formed inside the waterchamber 320 to be inclined downward.

The flow path ribs 324 may increase the contact area between the coolingwater flowing into the water chamber 320 and the condensing wall 321 sothat the cooling water can cool the entire condensing wall 321 as far aspossible. In addition, the flow path ribs 324 may reduce the flowvelocity of the cooling water flowing through the water chamber 320,thereby increasing the time for heat exchange between the cooling waterand the condensing wall 321. As a result, it is possible to efficientlycool the condensing wall 321 with a reduced amount of cooling water andto enhance the condensing efficiency of the humid air.

In this regard, the flow path ribs 324 may be alternately andconsecutively formed on one side and the other side of the water chamber320 so that the cooling water can make contact with the entire surfaceof the condensing wall 321. Thus, one of the flow path ribs 324 isformed to extend obliquely downward from one side of the water chamber320 to the other side thereof and is spaced apart from the adjacent flowpath rib 324 so that the end of one of the flow path ribs 324 does notmake contact with the adjacent flow path rib 324. Thus, the coolingwater can flow downward.

As described above, the flow path ribs 324 are consecutively formed in azigzag structure inside the water chamber 320. Thus, the cooling watermakes contact with the entire surface of the condensing wall 321 whileflowing along the flow path ribs 324, whereby the flow velocity of thecooling water may be reduced.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are describedabove with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in theart will understand that the present disclosure may be implemented invarious ways without changing the necessary features or the spirit ofthe present disclosure.

Therefore, it should be understood that the exemplary embodimentsdescribed above are not limiting, but only exemplary in all respects.The scope of the present disclosure is expressed by claims below, notthe detailed description, and it should be construed that all changesand modifications achieved from the meanings and scope of claims andequivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A drum type washing machine comprising: a tub; adrum rotatably disposed in the tub; a drying duct coupled to at leastone of the tub and the drum and configured to supply hot air; and acondensing duct coupled to the drying duct and configured to allow humidair supplied from the tub or the drum to exchange heat with coolingwater, to dry the humid air and then to supply dry air to the dryingduct, wherein the condensing duct comprises a water chamber configuredto accommodate the cooling water, and wherein further the water chambercomprises a condensing wall configured to make contact with the coolingwater on one surface thereof and to make contact with the humid air onanother surface thereof, the heat exchange between the cooling water andthe humid air occurring through the condensing wall.
 2. The drum typewashing machine of claim 1, wherein the condensing duct furthercomprises: a housing having an open surface and an air flow path formedtherein; a water inlet configured to supply the cooling water into thewater chamber; and a water outlet configured to discharge the coolingwater passed through the water chamber to the outside of the housing. 3.The drum type washing machine of claim 2, wherein the water chambercomprises flow path ribs configured to increase a contact area betweenthe cooling water and the condensing wall and to reduce a flow velocityof the cooling water flowing in the water chamber.
 4. The drum typewashing machine of claim 3, wherein the flow path ribs are alternatelyand consecutively formed on one side and the other side of the waterchamber and are disposed inside the water chamber.
 5. The drum typewashing machine of claim 3, wherein the flow path ribs extend obliquelydownward.
 6. The drum type washing machine of claim 2, wherein the waterchamber further comprises an introduction port for introducing thecooling water supplied via the water inlet into the water chamber. 7.The drum type washing machine of claim 6, wherein the housing comprisesa guide portion opened on one surface thereof and configured to guidethe cooling water toward the introduction port and wherein the guideportion is formed inside the housing where the water inlet ispositioned.
 8. The drum type washing machine of claim 7, wherein an endof the water inlet leading to the guide portion comprises a shape of anozzle for injecting the cooling water toward the guide portion.
 9. Thedrum type washing machine of claim 2, wherein the water chamber furthercomprises a discharge port for discharging the cooling water existing inthe water chamber to the outside of the water chamber.
 10. The drum typewashing machine of claim 2, wherein the water chamber is thermallyfusion-bonded to one side surface of the housing.
 11. The drum typewashing machine of claim 2, wherein the water chamber comprises ametallic material.
 12. A drum type washing machine, comprising: a tub; adrum disposed in the tub; a drying duct coupled to at least one of thetub and the drum and configured to supply hot air; and a condensing ductcoupled to the drying duct and configured to exchange heat betweencooling water and humid air, which has high humidity and is suppliedfrom the tub or the drum, to dry the humid air and therefrom to supplydry air to the drying duct, wherein the condensing duct comprises: ahousing having an open surface and an air flow path formed therein toaccommodate humid air flowing through the air flow path; a water chamberhaving a condensing wall on one side surface thereof, coupled to thehousing to cover the open surface of the housing and also configured toaccommodate the cooling water therein; a water inlet configured tosupply the cooling water into the water chamber; and a water outletconfigured to discharge the cooling water passed through the waterchamber to the outside of the housing.
 13. The drum type washing machineof claim 12, wherein the water chamber comprises flow path ribsconfigured to increase a contact area between the cooling water and thecondensing wall and to reduce a flow velocity of the cooling waterflowing in the water chamber.
 14. The drum type washing machine of claim13, wherein the flow path ribs are alternately and consecutivelydisposed on one side and the other side of the water chamber inside thewater chamber.
 15. The drum type washing machine of claim 13, whereinthe flow path ribs extend obliquely downward.
 16. The drum type washingmachine of claim 12, wherein the water chamber further comprises anintroduction port, the introduction port being operable for introducingthe cooling water supplied via the water inlet into the water chamber.17. The drum type washing machine of claim 16, wherein the condensingduct further comprises a guide portion, which is opened on one surfacethereof, for guiding the cooling water toward the introduction port andwherein the guide portion is disposed inside the housing where the waterinlet is positioned.
 18. The drum type washing machine of claim 17,wherein an end of the water inlet leading to the guide portion is formedin a shape of a nozzle for injecting the cooling water toward the guideportion.
 19. The drum type washing machine of claim 12, wherein thewater chamber comprises a discharge port for discharging the coolingwater existing in the water chamber.